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John Stearns

John Hardin Stearns (born August 21, 1951), nicknamed "Bad Dude", is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) catcher who played for the New York Mets from 1975 to 1984 after playing a single game for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1974. Stearns was a two-sport star in college, and he entered professional baseball after being selected in both the MLB and National Football League drafts. He struggled with injuries in the latter portion of his career. He served as the catching coordinator for the Seattle Mariners and the interim manager of the minor league Tacoma Rainiers before being named third base coach under Lloyd McClendon for the 2014 season. However, Stearns underwent surgery for a hiatal hernia prior to spring training and his slower-than-expected recovery compelled him to resign on March 7, 2014. He remained in the Mariners' organization, however, as a scout for the 2014 season.